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Congo-Brazzaville initiative

UNU
Bonn had been approached by the Ambassador of the Republic of Congo to the
Federal Republic of Germany in 2008 to seek advice and support in the area of
disaster risk management and prevention. Since then, the project has seen
several major steps in its implementation phase. These steps include notably
the participation of two Congo-Brazzaville experts in a three-week training on
Risk Management at UNU-EHS in Bonn, Germany,a
training course on “Disaster Risk Reduction and Vulnerability” provided to
three Congolese interdisciplinary experts organized by UNU-EHS and
UFS-DiMTEC in South Africa as well as a fact-finding mission led by a UNU-ViE
and UFS-DiMTEC delegation in Congo-Brazzaville with the aim to create a Disaster
Risk Management system in the country. A local workshop has also been
organized by UNU-ViE and DiMTEC and held in Brazzaville involving
representatives of different ministries and Government bodies to build a common
basis for a Disaster Risk Management national framework and Act.

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From 20 to 21 October 2011, a delegation from the United Nations University Vice Rectorate in Europe (UNU-ViE) visited the University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa. The delegation, including Professor Jakob Rhyner, UNU Vice Rector in Europe/Director of UNU-EHS, discussed
future collaborations between the two institutions and met with the national
disaster management head and team of South Africa. In addition, a guest
lecture on the topic of “Human Security in Africa” was delivered.|Read more

History of events

September 2008Ambassador of the Republic of Congo in the Federal Republic of Germany
approaches UNU Bonn

November 2008Two experts from Congo
Brazzaville follow a custom-made three-week training on Risk Management
at UNU-EHS

April 2009Strategic meeting takes place between
UNU representatives and a delegation from the Embassy of the Republic of Congo
including the Ambassador H.E. Mr. Henri Dimi

June 2009 Delegation of three
interdisciplinary experts from Congo-Brazzaville dispatched to South Africa where they attended, amongst others, a training course on
“Disaster Risk Reduction and Vulnerability” and visited different institutions
dealing with disaster management

August 2009 Delegation of two representatives from
UNU-ViE and UFS-DiMTEC undertakes a fact-finding mission with the ultimate goal
support the creation of a disaster management system in the country

November 2009UNU-ViE and DiMTEC organize a local workshop in Brazzaville, involving representatives of
different ministries and government bodies to build a common basis for a
disaster risk management national framework and Act

December 2009Meeting between UNU, a
delegation from the Republic of Congo Embassy and UFS-DiMTEC presenting
outcomes of the awareness-raising workshop held in Brazzaville in November 2009

During 2010Several meetings
with the Congolese Ambassador, UFS delegation, South-African government
representatives and the UNU Vice-Rector in Europe; Preparing successful enrollment of two Congolese government officials into MA course on Disaster
Management offered by UFS-DiMTEC for 2011

January 2011Two Congolese government
officials successfully enroll in the two-year MA course on Disaster
Management which is partially sponsored by UNU-ViE, DiMTEC and the Government
of the Republic of Congo

Master in Disaster Management

Through its distance
learning approach and its multidisciplinary syllabus, it enables professionals
and students from all over the African continent to acquire considerable
knowledge and expertise on Disaster Management in a period of two years. |Read more